Natural Resource Technician - Forest Inventory & Analysis Project Crew Member; PCN -N18031

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection

Recruiting for multiple Long Term, Non-Permanent – Forest Inventory & Analysis Project Crew Members in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Under the supervision of the Natural Resource Technician 3/FIA Crew Leader, this position assists with field inventory data collection in support of forest management operations throughout the State. The incumbent will travel daily by helicopter/boat/ATV/truck and work as part of a 2–4-person crew, under the direction of a field crew leader, to collect forestry and forest health monitoring data on inventory plots throughout the state.

Additional duties will be assisting in safe helicopter operations, data processing, backcountry navigation, and mission planning. Technicians will spend significant time travelling and will be expected to live and work in remote, austere environments.

The mission of the Division of Forestry and Fire Protection is to develop, conserve, and enhance Alaska's forests to provide a sustainable supply of forest resources for Alaskans. We are leaders in wildland fire management, forest management, forest practices, and cooperative forestry programs across the state. Our influence crosses ownership boundaries through leadership of all-risk incident management teams, management of federal timber resources under the Good Neighbor Authority, inventory of statewide timber resources, and up-to-date best management practices that apply to all commercial forests.

FIA Crew Members will have the opportunity to contribute to this mission by working in cooperation with the US Forest Service to collect data on a standardized national protocol to inventory and establish permanent research plots throughout our State.

This position is an integral part of a team of state and federal professionals executing a large interagency forest inventory program across interior Alaska. The Interior Alaska Forest Inventory and Analysis program (FIA) covers the largest area of any FIA program in the country and affords the opportunity to work, monitor, and access some of the most remote areas in Alaska.

This position offers an avenue to gain proficiency in aviation operations, backcountry navigation, and ecological field measurements. Training in wilderness medicine, as well as wildlife and firearms safety, is included.

The position is based in Fairbanks, AK. Field work is conducted in extremely remote areas of Interior Alaska. Field conditions are often arduous, and days are extremely long. Hazards encountered include rugged terrain, working around aviation transport, stream crossings, and bear encounters. Work may be performed in inclement weather (e.g., cold, rain, snow), on steep, slippery, and/or brushy slopes, and in the presence of biting insects.

Significant off-trail hiking is required. Employees must carry a 45lb pack daily, with pack weights sometimes exceeding 60lbs if bivy and flight gear need to be carried. Excellent physical conditioning is an absolute must.

Crews may travel in small aircraft, helicopters, boats, and ATVs; carry firearms for bear protection; and live in cramped quarters with nearly continuous background noise (e.g., generators and engines).

• Physical Strength and Agility:
  Ability to bend, lift, climb, stand, and walk for long periods of time; ability to perform moderately heavy laboring work.
• Teamwork:
  Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
• Reading Comprehension:
  Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.
• Forest Management:
  Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of silviculture and forest ecology, forest use, management, harvesting, conducting inventories, regeneration, sustainability, and conservation; and the role of disturbances in timberland resources.

to learn…